Ingredients

• 250g/8oz plain flour
• pinch salt
• 1 tbsp caster or icing sugar
• plus extra for sprinkling
• 125g/4oz butter
• in cubes
• 55g/2oz lard
• in cubes
• 1 free-range egg
• separated
• 2-3 tbsp water
• 1 x 400g/14oz jar luxury mincemeat
• 150ml/¼ pint double cream
• 2 tbsp orange liqueur
• such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 small orange
• finely grated zest only

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
• Make the pastry in a food processor: blend the flour with a pinch of salt and the sugar. Add the butter and lard to the processor and pulse briefly.
• Add the egg yolk and enough cold water to make a stiff dough (set aside the egg white). Use the pulse button on the processor to bring the mixture together.
• Roll out three-quarters of the pastry and line a 23cm/9in flan tin or pie plate with it. Fill the tin or pie plate with the mincemeat.
• Roll out the remaining portion of pastry to cover the top
• cutting out a 7½/3in hole in the middle with a plain cutter. Place the pastry ring on top of the flan
• crimp round the edge to decorate and seal.
• Cover the hole with a piece of foil cut to the same size as the hole and bake the flan in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
• About five minutes before the flan is cooked
• lightly beat the egg white and brush the top of the flan with it. Sprinkle with caster sugar (or icing sugar) and return to the oven.
• To serve
• whip the cream with the liqueur
• caster sugar and orange zest in a bowl. Pile the cream into the middle of the warm flan and serve hot.